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Buhari’s Backing of Giadom Marks End of Tinubu’s Dominance in APC, Says Fani-Kayode
A former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode said Bola Tinubu’s dominance in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has come to an end after President Muhammadu Buhari declared that he was backing Victor Giadom as the acting National Chairman of the party.
Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos state, is highly regarded as the ‘national leader’ of the APC.
Mr Fani-Kayode said the former governor has been thrown under the bus and retired from politics.
Mr Giadom, from Rivers State, is an ally of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
Both Mr Tinubu and Mr Amaechi have been engaged in an intense and devastating power struggle within the APC, one which led to the suspension of Adams Oshiomhole as the party’s national chairman.
Mr Giadom was suspended from office as the deputy national secretary of the APC by the National Working Committee (NWC) to ward off his attack on the party structure which is dominated by Mr Tinubu’s loyalists.
The NWC appointed Abiola Ajimobi, the deputy national chairman (South) of the APC, as acting chairman.
But that did not stop him (Giadom) from pursuing his claims that he is the authentic party chairman, after the Court of Appeal upheld the suspension of Mr Oshiomhole recently.
Mr Giadom said he is backed by a court order.
President Buhari in a statement from his spokesperson, Garba Shehu, on Wednesday afternoon, said he would attend the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting convened by Mr Giadom because “the law is on the side of Victor Giadom as Acting National Chairman.”
Mr Fani-Kayode (@realFFK) said on Wednesday on Twitter, “First Oshiomole is kicked out by the Court of Appeal. Then his preferred replacement, Ajimobi, falls into a coma. Then his arch rival, Giadom, is recognised by Buhari as Nat. Chairman.
“Conclusion: it is over for Tinubu. He has been thrown under the bus & retired from politics!”
Mrs Beatrice Ekweremadu, wife of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu is back in Nigeria.
Mrs Ekweremadu returned to Nigeria on Tuesday.
Senator Ekweremadu, his wife and one Dr Obinna Obeta, were sentenced to prison by a UK court for their involvement in organ harvesting.
The former deputy senate president was sentenced to 10 years, while his wife was sentenced to six years.
While the return of Mrs Ekweremadu is being celebrated across Enugu State, many are praying to have the Deputy Senate President back in the shortest possible time.
Source: DAILY Post
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has demanded the reversal of the recent 50% hike in telecom tariffs, issuing a 48-hour ultimatum to the Federal government.
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), on January 20, 2025, announced regulatory approval for telecom operators to raise tariffs by 50 per cent. The agency said the tariff hike will help the operators improve the country’s telecommunication infrastructure.
The tariff hike follows agitations from the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) and the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) to review call tariffs upwards.
SERAP described the increase as “unlawful” and warned of impending legal action if the government and telecom operators fail to reverse the decision.
“The Tinubu administration and telcos must immediately reverse the unlawful increase in calls and data costs. We’ll see in court if the 50% tariff hike is not reversed within 48 hours,” the group declared.
SERAP’s ultimatum reflects growing public dissatisfaction over the hike, with many Nigerians expressing concerns about its impact on the cost of living.
The organization also insisted that the tariff hike violates the rights of consumers and threatens access to affordable communication services.
“This increase is not only unjustifiable but also unlawful. It risks undermining the accessibility of essential communication services for millions of Nigerians,” SERAP’s statement read.
The Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, has ordered the removal of speed bumps on the country’s highways to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion on major roads.
Umahi gave the directive during a two-day Retreat for Federal Ministry of Works Highway Engineers and Managerial Staff on Friday in Abuja.
The retreat with the theme “Ensuring Delivery of Mr President‘s Agenda on Road Infrastructural Development,” was organised by the ministry.
The minister said the order to dismantle the speed bumps was necessary because some were haphazardly done causing accidents and elongating travel time.
“I came through one of the federal routes and for a journey that is supposed to last like one hour within that stretch, it lasted like three hours because every 20 metres you will see a bump.
“Although there is nothing wrong with speed bumps in certain designated locations. But there is an approved technical design for bumps.
“There are also allowable locations for bumps and that is what we want to do. So the National Assembly has directed that these speed bumps should be dismantled.”
Umahi said the ministry had noticed some speed bumps were a menace and causing multiple accidents and deaths.
“Some speed bumps are high, touching the bottom plates of vehicles; that is not desirable. It defeats the aim.
“So, this is what we are saying; and that is what the National Assembly is saying; the ministry as well as motorists want them to dismantle it.”
Umahi said subsequently for any speed bump to be constructed, applications would be made to controllers for the locations through the Permanent Secretary and to the minister for approval after meeting technical compliance.
He added that there must also be a safe side distance of not less than 100 metres and warning for motorists to beware.
Speaking on infrastructure development, Umahi said President Bola Tinubu’s massive infrastructure development is aimed at providing the much needed impetus to stimulate the economy and improve the lives of the citizenry.
He therefore, said the retreat is aimed at educating participants to properly understand the president’s renewed hope agenda with specific reference to road infrastructure development among others.
The Minister of State for Works, Mr Bello Goronyo, commended the president’s infrastructure development agenda, saying that it was putting smiles on the faces of Nigerians.
“Let me urge you to use the knowledge that you will acquire today in ensuring that you come up to speed with the modern technologies and innovation so that our country will be better in terms of roads, infrastructure.
“Without the road infrastructure, there cannot be economic growth, and there cannot be prosperity,” he said.
The permanent secretary in the ministry, Olufunso Adebiyi, said the Federal Road Safety Corps’ record revealed that accidents were traceable to reckless driving, drunk driving, disregard for road instructions and unauthorised crossing of the road among others.
“It may surprise you that the percentage of accidents caused by bad roads were less than 10 per cent.
“The bad roads are traceable to inefficiency on the part of the engineers, poor supervision of our road works among others.”
Adebiyi urged the engineers to step up and curb some of the irregularities, noting that the ministry was committed to building their capacity to deliver on the administration’s agenda.
The Chairmen, Senate and House Committees on Works reiterated their commitment to supporting the ministry to deliver on its mandate.
